What do I do about small shoots starting at base of fruit trees.?

Question

Planted a few fruit trees a few years ago. I now have several small shoots starting at the base. Do I cut them off or let them grow ? Is this natural or what causes this ?

Answer 1

ok.. 1st of all i went to college for Horticulture.. you do NOT paint or spray any broad leaf weed killer... it does hurt the tree.. if it can kill the suckers.. it can kill the tree.. common sense right there.. and also.. it doesn't hurt to trim them back.. it is ascetically pleasing. unless you cant it all natural it is perfectly normal to trim them back.. If you still have questions see your local nursery and garden center.. the experts there should be able to help you..

Answer 2

Chop them off. It's part of the pruning process. Prune
only when the trees have gone dormant. That's when you have had several deep frosts. At that time the tree has drawn its
nutrients back down into the root system. Choose branches to prune which are redundant with respect to sunlight gathering.
Also prune the highest branches so you don't have to climb so high to harvest. Of course prune dead branches and non-producing branches.

Answer 3

prune them off they are the suckers from the lower graft wood if a fruit tree u wont get good fruit ,if any ,from the suckers. Others u wont get the foliage u are after. sometimes on roses u can end up with 2 different colours of flowers. one is the graft wood not the scion wood

Answer 4

It is natural, just clip them off so the strength goes to the tree.

Answer 5

Frog giggin is right about the broad base weed killer. They are suckers and need to be pruned. It's natural.

Answer 6

We all have this problem, if they are in the lawn, mow em. If other places, cut em. Don't try other things, you might hurt the tree.

Answer 7

I "paint" broad leaf killer on them. It doesn't hurt the main tree.

Answer 8

prune them or you will end up with a bush